Meet The Team
The Hefflin Legacy Foundation extends its sincere gratitude to Debbie Brown for her service as Secretary. We thank her for her contributions and wish her continued success in her next chapter.

Marsha Hopkins is a distinguished educator, historian, writer, and visual artist whose work spans multiple disciplines. She holds a BFA in Fine Arts and an MFA in Creative Writing. From 2002 to 2023, she served at Otis College of Art and Design as an Adjunct Assistant and Associate Professor, influencing generations of artists and thinkers.

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Beyond academia, Marsha has long been committed to community service and historical preservation. In 2008, she joined The History Council, serving as Chair for six years and continuing as an active member today. She is a founding member of the BHM Collective and the Origin Stories Project, initiatives dedicated to documenting and elevating Black history and cultural memory.

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Through her teaching, scholarship, and community leadership, Marsha brings creativity, insight, and historical consciousness to every endeavor she undertakes, qualities she now contributes to the mission of the Hefflin Legacy Foundation.

Patricia is an Angeleno born and raised.  She attended St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA, and majored in Accounting with a minor in Art.  She left St. Mary’s to support her parents when her father had a stroke and her mother, who paid daily visits to the convalescent hospital.  She continued her studies in accounting and landed accounting jobs in the entertainment industry and later with the Los Angeles Lakers, where she retired after 18 years.  Patricia is also currently a member of Adams Normandie Neighborhood Association as Treasurer

Helen Sweatt brings over 40 years of experience in the medical field, currently serving at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, along with previous work in other hospitals and physician offices. She is deeply committed to compassion, integrity, and service to others.

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Helen is married and the proud mother of three children. Her strong family values shape her belief in building lasting legacies that uplift future generations.

Throughout her career, Helen has worked closely with schools and a variety of community organizations, where she has actively supported and led fundraising efforts for programs, events, and meaningful causes focused on education, wellness, and community enrichment. She is passionate about giving back, stewardship, collaboration, and purposeful giving.

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As a board member of the Hefflin Legacy Foundation, Helen is dedicated to contributing her experience, compassion, and collaborative spirit to further advance the Foundation’s mission, honoring its values, strengthening its impact, and helping ensure its work continues to make a meaningful difference for generations to come.

Stephanie Haynes, CPT is the Founder and CEO of Fashionably Fit. She is a certified Somatic Trauma Therapist, personal trainer, life coach, and health educator with over 40 years of community service.

Grounded in her belief that “when you heal the mind, the body will follow,” Ms. Haynes specializes in self-empowerment, helping individuals transform limiting beliefs into positive, life-affirming mindsets. She is the author of The Healing of the Womb, a workbook supporting survivors of sexual, physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse.

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Ms. Haynes is a longtime community advocate for women’s health and reproductive justice. She has served as Co-Chair of the Community Advisory Coalition for Los Angeles County’s Second Supervisorial District and has lobbied in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. on behalf of women’s healthcare. She is also a consultant and event planner for Black Women for Wellness’ “Sisters in Control: Grown & Sexy” program.

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A member of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) since 1999, Ms. Haynes currently serves as 1st Vice President of the Southern California Coalition and coordinates the Saving Our Sisters (SOS) program for young adults.